4. The condition

After passing through the lawn, their footsteps halted and they stood in front of a large brawny door that led into the house. Both of them were nervous. Amarra was nervous because if they were rejected from this place they'd probably have no place to live. She was utterly worried for her daughter. And Zahra was nervous because her subconscious kept signaling about something havoc. Moreover, she does not want to let anyone humiliate her mother. She knew her grandpa wouldn't accept her mother and let them live here easily. They had to pass through a great ordeal to live here.

Ammara's hands reached for the doorknob. She stared at the same door knob which once Mujtaba had turned so they both could enter. A feeling of disbelief coursed through her. 

Was she really standing here again? 

Was her husband really gone? 

And she won't meet him ever? 

Their happily ever after was so short-lived. So short-lived that it choked her and brought tears to her eyes. Zahra was quick to be on her side as she lovingly cleared her tears and passed her mother a smile. Ammara smiled back. She has to be her daughter's strength at this point. Her daughter needed her more than she needed her daughter as she engulfed Zahra in a hug and held her close to her body, inhaling her scent. Mujtaba didn't come but this time a part of him did come. His heart did come. He used to call Zahra, his heart. Despite he was under the ground, he was still here, along with her in the form of Zahra. 

Ammara turned the doorknob and pushed it inside, gulping in the tears that were threatening to surface in her eyes. The door opened and they both made their way into the house. They were left in awe. A very modernly designed lounge had their mouth hung open. Eyes wide open. Feeling out of place. 

Zahra looked around and she found some boys and girls sitting on the cream-colored sofas, centered in the lounge. All of them chatting and laughing haughtily. And all of them looked from 18 to 25 years of age. They were too engaged and preoccupied in the conversation to notice their presence.

Zahra wondered where to go next, they couldn't be standing here all day. So she decided to approach them. As soon as she moved, a man in his early fifties came running down the stairs and proceeded towards them. Zahra stopped and looked towards her mother. Her mother knew who he was.

"Haider bhai, Assalam alaikum" Ammara greeted.

This caught everyone's attention in the room and all of those lads turned and looked at their Taya Abu (uncle) and had them, conjecturing, who these two ladies were.

"Wa alaikum salam. Kia haal hai beta? Umeed hai k sab khairiyat hai!" He warmly welcomed them.

(How are you dear? Hope everything is alright!)

"Allhamdullilah" Ammara told.

(By God's grace)

"Mujtaba kidher hai aur kesa hai? Kia wo saath nahi aaya?" He asked softly and looked expectantly towards the door, hoping his brother would come.

(Where is Mujtaba? And how is he? Didn't he come along?)

On hearing Mujtaba's name tears brimmed in Zahra's eyes. Her throat clogged and her vision blurred. Her heart wrenched for her uncle who was expecting his brother to come from the door. Little did he know, he was never going to come.

'Kaash Baba Kaash ap way uss darwazey sei Andar aajaye' she thought with dismay.

(I wish Father I wish, you could come out of that door)

Before Amarra could say anything Haider's attention diverted towards Zahra who was trying hard to control her tears.

"Zahra!" He exclaimed.

"Kesi ho beti? Kitni bari ho gyi ho MashAllah!"

(How are you daughter? MashAllah you have grown up!)

Zahra was overwhelmed by his warm gesture and when he called her "beti" it reminded her of his father and she could not control her emotions anymore. Her arms moved on her own accord and gave him a tight hug. She felt as if he was hugging her father which made fat tears roll down her eyes which were soon replaced by big sobs.

Haider only wondered why she was crying and rubbed his hands at her back to soothe her. He let her cry to her fullest and she cried her heart out on her Taya Abu's shoulder. The whole room was enveloped in silence. Only her painful big sobs could be heard. Zahra hugged him tightly like he used to hug her father whenever he came back home after a day or two. Her Taya resembled her father in all the ways and that was enough to make her emotions out of control. She could feel her father's scent around him. She didn't know but she found an unfathomable connection with him. He was very much like her father.

Her big sobs had grabbed everyone's attention and all the heads were turned towards their Taya Abu and the crying girl. Everyone pondered who was she. And why was she crying so wholeheartedly on his shoulder? The Ladies of the house who were working in the kitchen on hearing somebody's sobs immediately came out and the whole scene in front of them left them baffled. They clearly knew about Ammara and Mujtaba but they had no idea that Ammara would be coming back to Haveli with her daughter. And they too contemplated what Ammara is doing here again and that too with her daughter? And why her daughter is crying so painfully? And where is Mujtaba? And why they are carrying bags along with them? All of them kept looking towards them.

After crying heartily, Zahra felt her tears die down and she cleaned her wet face with her hands and got off of her uncle's shoulder. Her face was blotched and her eyes were swollen red. Haider didn't find it right to ask her why she was too disturbed and only comforted her more.

Zahra wiped her tears properly and after settling herself she looked around to find everyone's attention was on her and she cast her eyes down.

"I am fine,"

"Ok beta, Agha Jaan is waiting for you both in his study," he told empathically. He was about to ask regarding Mujtaba but something inside him stopped him from doing so and he kept quiet.

"Let's go," Ammara quietly said and grasped her daughter's hand, who tightened the hold, indicating she was nervous.

Haider ushered them both to his father's study, meanwhile, no words were exchanged and when they reached the door he knocked and heard a harsh "come in,"

He opened the door and let them both in then followed behind and closed the door shut. Zahra was nervous and fidgeted with her fingers while looking down and didn't dare to raise her head. She always does that whenever she is trepidatious or apprehensive.

"Why are you here again, Ammara bibi? To destroy the peace of our house once again?" an old man's voice coldly and calmly said. Zahra figured it out, it was her dada, Shabbir Murtaza Syed, who hated her mother to no extent. She was furious for letting him disrespect her mother and her head shot up rebelliously to counter him. She found him sitting on his chair on the other side of the table, sipping his coffee.

Amara noticed the rebellious posture of her daughter but before she could say anything she squeezed her hand, indicating to her that it was not the right place. Zahra immediately got the signal and internally calmed herself to say anything.

"Mein yaha par kisi ka sukoon barbaad krney na hi pehlay aaye thi mein buss yaha madad ki talash mn aaye hu," Amarra said softly yet confidently.

(Neither did I come to destroy someone's peace before nor now, I just came here to seek help)

"Is your husband dead that you came here for help?" He mocked.

After listening to his words, Zahra hardly control her tears. She tried to emotionally shut down herself after her father's death but whenever his topic was brought up her emotions couldn't seem to get in control. And right now, she was trying her best to keep control of her feelings.

"Yes, he died two days ago," Amarra said with a sharp edge at the end of her sentence implying she was close to crying. But Zahra consoled her by squeezing her hands.

"What?" Haider who stood close to the door asked in total bewilderment.

"Yes, his blood pressure shot up which...which caused a heart attack" she replied without looking towards him.

"Why didn't you inform us?" Haider asked in complete shock.

"To keep his will. His last words were not to inform his father of his death" she said looking down.

Haider's throat clogged and before tears could escape he immediately left the room, his mind couldn't digest the fact his younger brother was no more.

And now both of them were left alone with the old man, who put up a facade of looking unaffected by the news of his son's death. Zahra saw this in his eyes. He was deeply saddened by the news of his son's death but maintained a calm composure outside.

"He was dead to me long ago and if you're here to inform us of his death, then you've done so, the door is there, you may leave" He coldly stated.

"We have nowhere to go, I am left alone with my daughter."

"Did your husband make you live on streets that you've nowhere to go?"

"We were in a debt that we couldn't pay back so those people took our house,"

"Whatever, I don't care. Leave my house, right now!"

"I need a place to live. Please let us live here,"

"Let you live here?" He sarcastically questioned.

"Yes, please. I have no place to go" Her voice was small and shaky.

"The answer is a big fat no. You may get out now" he calmly told.

"Where would I go all alone with my daughter? Please let us live here!" her voice desperate.

"Do you think I care? Go wherever you want to but not here!"

"Please!! have mercy where would I go along with my daughter? I have no place to go!" Amara begged.

Zahra's eyes were already spilling tears out seeing her mother begging. She was broken witnessing her mother so helpless and vulnerable.

"If you're playing an emotional card by bringing your daughter here, then you know that I disowned my son now you both are not related to me in any way"

"Mama we should go," Zahra spoke, she couldn't bear this anymore. But Amara ignored it.

"Please let us live here, we're left alone in this world. Please I beg you to give us some space in your haveli" Amara's eyes were now filled with tears.

She was doing all this for her daughter. Where could she probably go? On the streets? She cannot let her daughter live on the streets. No. Never. Also, those goons have seen Zahra now. After their demand, the safest place for her daughter would be this haveli. The only option was to beg him to give her a place to live.

"Please,"

"I'll let you live here only if you agree to my one condition" he suddenly spoke.

Amara's eyes sparkled. She now had a hope that there would be some chances to live under this roof. She knew how much of a cunning and manipulative man Shabbir Haider Syed was, but in this situation where he was her last hope, she had no choice but to agree to whatever he said.

"I'll do as you say," she said.